Within minutes of James Harding announcing he is off, senior BBC editors immediately asked themselves: ‘Enough about him, what does this mean for me?’ All the gossip at New Broadcasting House is about their next Head of News. As ever MediaGuido brings you your early runners and riders:

Jonathan Munro: The early frontrunner, Munro is currently Head of Newsgathering and effectively Harding’s deputy. Former ITV man. Self-confessed lover of wine and posh food. Could he suffer from being the favourite?

Gavin Allen: Controller of Daily News programmes, overseeing Today and the News at Six and Ten. Popular among the troops. Old school hack who gets news.

Fran Unsworth: The experienced director of the World Service is seen as a safe pair of hands, she is also Director of News and Current Affairs and sits on the BBC’s Executive Team. Former Head of Newsgathering.

Jay Hunt: Until recently she was Chief Creative Officer at Channel 4, where she was favourite to become the new chief executive until she quit. Former controller of BBC One.

Peter Baron: Wildcard, edited Newsnight when it was worth watching. Left for Google in 2008.

Ian Katz: Current Newsnight editor, friends have let it be known he is considering throwing his hat in the ring.

Amol Rajan: A newbie at the Beeb but could another former newspaperman get the job? WATO, the One Show, the Media Show, Radio 2 drive time stand-in – Amol seems to be doing every other BBC job at the moment.